Label moistening and applying device



June 1959 A. F; KRONMAN LABEL MOISTENING AND APPLYING DEVICE Filed Oct. 29, 1958 2,891,692 Patented June 23, 1959 [ice LABEL MOISTENING AND APPLYING DEVICE Albert F. Kronman, Lattingtown Harbor, N.Y.

Application October 29, 1958, Serial No. 770,403

7 Claims. (Cl. 216-52) This invention relates to a machine for applying gummed labels to mailing pieces, packages and the like.

The application of individual gummed labels to mailing pieces or containers for marking or mailing purposes presents problems of handling and dispensing which are not encountered in the use of continuous adhesive strips. In addition to being small and diflicult to handle, individual labels often have ragged edges which quickly absorb water, which interferes with the successful feeding operations of the dispensing machine. Where labels are used for mailing purposes, it is important that they not stick together in the dispensing device, or become affixed to the mailing piece while in that condition.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for applying labels, which will continue to operate dependably over a long series of applications.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a label moistening device which will not interfere with the accurate dispensing of individual labels from the mechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a label moistening and dispensing machine, which is completely portable.

An object of the present invention is to provide a label applying machine which may be used intermittently without damage to, or water reaching the labels carried therein.

A feature of the present invention is its simplified construction, requiring only a single motion for the application of the labels.

Another feature of the present invention is its positive feeding structure for releasing and discharging one label at a time.

- A further feature of the present invention is its label affixing mechanism which is driven from the main power source of the device.

The invention consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, is illustrated one form of the embodiment of the invention in which drawings, similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of a complete embodiment of the present invention taken on line 1-1 in Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22 in Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation drawn on a somewhat smaller scale of the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary views of the label applying device showing the sequence of operations during the moistening and applying of a label.

Referring to the drawings, and specifically to Figure 1, 10 indicates a housing in the form of a boxlike member, having a plate 11 at the top thereof, and open at the .bottom as indicated at 12. A plunger 13 is carried within a guide member 14 secured to the top 11 of the housing.

A plunger handle 15 is provided on the upper end of the plunger 13 to operate the device. The plunger 13 is spring loaded by means of the coil spring 16 which is disposed between the plate 11 and the handle 15. The spring 16 urges the plunger 13 in a direction away from the housing 10. The plunger 13 extends into the housing 10, and is provided with an arm in the form 'yof a gear rack 17. The main body of the plunger 13 ends in a horizontal guide 18 within which there is carried a label indexing finger 19.

The indexing finger 19 is supported by a block 20 which is slidably carried within the guide 18. A label magazine 21 is secured to the walls of the housing 10 by a bracket 53. The label magazine 21 is in the form of a rectangular box open at its front end, as indicated at 22, and provided with a side cover member 23, best shown in Figure 2. The side cover member 23 is secured to the side 24 of the housing 10, and is removable with the said cover 24 for loading purposes. The front of the magazine 21 is provided with label retaining lip members 25, 26, which partially overlie the opening 22 in the front of the magazine 21. The lips 25, 26 prevent the labels 27 within the magazine 21 from falling out of the magazine. A folded, fiat spring member 28 is disposed within the magazine 21 between the rear wall of the magazine and a plate member 29 which bears against the label 27. The flat spring 28 maintains a constant pressure upon the labels 27, which holds them firmly against the retaining lips 25, 26.

Immediately below the magazine 21 there is positioned a label moistening wheel 30, which is carried upon a shaft 31. The moistening wheel 30, as shown in Figure 2, consists of fluid absorbing rings 32, such as felt, sponge rubber, or the like, separated by smaller washer members 33. The moistening wheel is driven by the shaft 31 through a pawl and sprocket arrangement (not shown). A gear 34, best shown in Figure 1, is secured to the shaft 31 near the outer end thereof. The gear rack 17 of the plunger 13 is in mesh with the gear 34.

Label guide arms 35 are carried on a small shaft 36 and ride upon the washers 33, as shown in Figure 2. Spring fingers 37, which are carried on a shaft 38, also ride upon the washers 33 beneath the moistening wheel 30 to prevent the label from adhering to the said wheel.

The label indexing finger 19 has an outwardly extending shaft 39 secured thereto. The shaft 39, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, rides in a slot 40 cut into the cover member 24. The slot 49 extends in a direction generally parallel to that of the longitudinal axis of the magazine 21 which, as will be seen from Figure 1, is angularly disposed with respect to the vertical for a hereinafter described purpose. The upper portion of the slot 40,

3 however, is formed with a cam-like portion 41.

As the plunger 13 moves up and down, the shaft 39 is caused to ride Within the slot 445, bringing the indexing finger 19, carried at the end of the block 20, into contact with the outermost label 42. When the handle 15 is released at the end of a label applying cycle, the indexing finger travels up the face of the labels until the shaft 39 reaches the cam face 41. The block 20 is then forced forward in the direction of the labels 27 and the indexing finger 19 presses against the outermost label 42 causing it to buckle, as indicated at 43 in Figure 1. The bottom 44 of the outermost label 42 will be pulled free of the lip 32. The outermost label 42 will then be ready for use. Since the lips 25, 26 hold the labels 27 at their ends, the labels tend to bulge slightly at the center of the opening. The bulge causes the freed end 44 of the lebel 42 to clear the bottom lip 26 as it is fed downwardly. The bottom lip 26 is beveled, as indicated at 45, to

further guide the edge 44 of the label 42 away from the magazine 21. As the plunger 13 is pushed down, the leading edge 44 of the label is fed between the guide arms 35 and the moistening wheel 30. The gummed surface of the label comes into contact with the moistening Wheel 30. The moistening wheel 30 meanwhile is turned by means of the gear rack 17 and the gear 34. As the plunger 13 continues its downward travel, the label 42 is fed past the moistening Wheel 30, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, until the plunger 13 reaches the bottom of its travel. At this juncture the bottom 44 of the label 42 will be resting upon the surface to which the label is to be applied. The upper portion of the label 42 will still be held lightly by the moistening. wheel 30 and the guide arms 35.

A sealing roller 46 is carried by the housing near the bottom thereof. The sealing roller 46 rides within horizontal grooves 47, which are cut into the side wall 48 and the cover member 24 of the housing 10. The sealing roller 46 is coupled to a wheel 49 secured to the moistening wheel shaft 31. The coupling is effected by means of a chain 50 which is secured to the roller 46, carried through a pulley 51, around the wheel 49, through a second pulley 52, and then back to the roller 46. As the shaft 31 is rotated by the gear 34 and the rack 17, the sealing roller 46 is caused to traverse the slot 47. When the plunger 13 is in its lowermost position, as shown in Figure 4, the sealing roller 46 will be at the extreme righthand side of the groove 47, as shown in Figure 5. The sealing roller 46 will then be adjacent the end 44 of the label 42, which has been fed through the moistening roller 30. As the plunger 13 is released, the rack 17 reverses the direction of the gear 34, and the sealing roller 46 moves toward the opposite end of the groove 47. As the sealing roller 46 traverses the groove 47, it presses the label 42 upon the surface to which it is applied, as shown in Figure 6. The moistening wheel 30 does not change its direction of rotation as the plunger 13 rises, since the pawl and ratchet connection between its shaft 31 and the wh el 3!} permits the said wheel to turn only in one direction. The label guiding arms 35 also act as a brake to prevent the moistening wheel 30 from turning in any but a feeding direction. When the plunger 13 has reached the top of its travel, as shown in Figure l, the next label will be indexed and the sealing roller 46 will be at the extreme left-hand end of the slot 47 ready for the next cycle. A toggle linkage 54, shown in Figure 4, may be substituted on each side of the roller 46 for the pulley and chain arrangement. The toggle linkage moves the roller 46 from side to side as the shaft 31 is turned by the gear rack 17. Springs 55, 56 carry the linkage to the end of its travel once the roller has passed its center point.

It will be noted that the angular disposition of the magazine 21, together with the label guide arms 35 direct the label in a path which brings it into the bight of the sealing roller 46 at an angle which is most advantageous for the subsequent application of the label to a surface. As the sealing roller 46 moves across the label, it pulls the remainder of the label from between the moistening wheel 30 and the arms 35.

The labels 27 are placed Within the magazine 21 with their glued surfaces facing inwardly and away from the indexing finger 19. The indexing finger is therefore able to make more positive contact with the label by bearing against the unglued surface and remains free of any accumulation of glue which might occur if the labels were placed with their glued sides facing outwardly.

When it is desired to reload the label dispensing device, it is merely necessary to snap the cover member 24 off the housing 10. The side member 23 of the magazine 21 will be pulled from the magazine and the fiat spring 28 and the plate 29 can be removed from the magazine. A supply of labels may then be slipped within the magazine and the spring 28 and plate 29 inserted i behind them. The moistening wheel 30 may be supplied with fluid, if desired, at juncture. Thereafter, the cover plate 24 is replaced and the machine is ready for use.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a label dispensing, moistening and applying device which is simple in operation, compact and capable of dependable operation over continued periods of use.

I claim:

1. A device for moistening and affixing individual gummed labels to a surface comprising, a housing, a label receiving magazine in said housing, an opening in the front of said magazine, a label retaining lip member at each end of said opening, a spring" carried by the magazine to urge the labels against the lip members, a vertical plunger slideably mounted on the housing and extending inwardly thereof, a gear rack on said plunger, a label indexing finger carried by the plunger in contact with the outermost label in the magazine, a label moistening wheel within the housing below the magazine, means coupled to the gear rack to rotate the said wheel, a sealing roller carried by the housing beneath the moistening wheel, and means, responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the plunger, to release a single label from the magazine, feed it through the moistening wheel and aflix it to a surface.

2. A device for moistening and afiixing individual gummed labels to a surface comprising, a housing, a label receiving magazine in said housing, an opening in the front of said magazine, a label retaining lip member at each end of said opening, a spring carried by the magazine to urge the labels against the lip members, a vertical plunger slideably mounted on the housing and extending inwardly thereof, a gear rack on said plunger, a label indexing finger slideably carried by the plunger in contact with the outermost label in the magazine, a guide shaft secured to the indexing finger and extending there from, an elongated cam slot in the housing to receive the guide shaft, a label moistening wheel within the housing below the magazine, means coupled to the gear rack to rotate the said wheel, a sealing roller carried by the housing beneath the moistening wheel, and means, responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the plunger and the travel of the guide shaft in the cam slot, to release a single label from the magazine, feed it through the moistening wheel and afiix it to a surface.

3. A device for moistening and aflixing individual gummed labels to a surface comprising, a housing, an angularly disposed label receiving magazine in said housing, an opening in the front of said magazine, a label retaining lip member at each end of said opening, a spring carried by the magazine to urge the labels against the lip members, a vertical plunger slideably mounted on the housing and extending inwardly thereof, a gear rack on said plunger, a label indexing finger slideably carried by the plunger in contact with the outermost label in the magazine, a guide shaft secured to the indexing finger and extending therefrom, an elongated cam slot extending in a direction substantially parallel to the exposed face of the labels in the magazine cut in the housing to receive the guide shaft, a label moistening wheel within the housing below the magazine, means coupled to the gear rack to rotate the said wheel, a sealing roller carried by the housing beneath the moistening wheel, and means, responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the plunger and the travel of the guide shaft in the cam slot, to release a single label from the magazine, feed it through the moistening wheel and afl'ix it to a surface.

4. A device for moistening and affixing it to a surface. gummed labels to a surface comprising, a housing, a label receiving magazine in said housing, an opening in the front of said magazine, a label retaining lip member at each end of said opening, a spring carried by the magazine to urge the labels against the lip member, a vertical plunger slideably mounted on the housing and extending inwardly thereof, a gear rack on said plunger, a label indexing finger slideably carried by the plunger in contact with the outermost label in the magazine, a guide shaft secured to the indexing finger and extending therefrom, an elongated cam slot in the housing to receive the guide shaft, a cam portion offset in the direction of the magazine spaced from the top of the cam slot, a label moistening wheel within the housing below the magazine, means coupled to the gear rack to rotate the said wheel, a sealing roller carried by the housing beneath the moistening wheel, and means, responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the plunger and the travel of the guide shaft in the cam slot, to release a single label from the magazine, feed it through the moistening wheel and afiix it to a surface.

5. A device for moistening and affixing individual gummed labels to a surface comprising a housing, an angularly disposed label receiving magazine in said housing, an opening in the front of said magazine, a label retaining lip member at each end of said opening, a spring carried by the magazine to urge the labels against the lip members, a vertical plunger slideably mounted on the housing and extending inwardly thereof, a gear rack on said plunger, a. label indexing finger slideably carried by the plunger in contact with the outermost label in the magazine, a guide shaft secured to the indexing finger and extending therefrom, an elongated cam slot angularly disposed in the housing to receive the guide shaft, a cam portion offset in the direction of the magazine spaced from the top of the cam slot, a label moistening wheel within the housing below the magazine, means coupled to the gear rack to rotate the said wheel, a sealing roller carried by the housing beneath the moistening wheel, and means, responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the plunger and the travel of the guide shaft in the cam slot, to release a single label from the magazine, feed it through the moistening wheel and afiix it to a surface.

6. A device for moistening and afiixing individual gummed labels to a surface comprising, a housing, a label receiving magazine in said housing, an opening in the front of said magazine, a label retaining lip member at each end of said opening, a spring carried by the magazine to urge the labels against the lip members, a vertical plunger slidably mounted on the housing and extending inwardly thereof, spring means between the housing and the plunger to urge the plunger in a direction out of said housing, a gear rack on said plunger, a label indexing finger carried by the plunger in contact with the outermost label in the magazine, a label moistening wheel within the housing below the magazine, means coupled to the gear rack to rotate the said wheel, a sealing roller carried by the housing beneath the moistening wheel, elongated grooves spaced from the bottom of the housing and parallel therewith to receive the ends of the sealing roller, coupling means between the moistening wheel rotating and the sealing roller to transport the roller from one end of the elongated grooves to the other, and means, responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the plunger, to release a single label from the magazine, fed it through the moistening wheel and aflix it to a surface.

7. A device for moistening and affixing individual gummed labels to a surface comprising, a housing, an angularly disposed label receiving magazine in said housing, an opening in the front of said magazine, a label retaining lip member at each end of said opening, a spring carried by the magazine to urge the labels against the lip members, a vertical plunger slidably mounted on the housing and extending inwardly thereof, spring means between the housing and the plunger to urge the plunger in a direction out of said housing, a gear rack on said plunger, a label indexing finger slidably carried by the plunger in contact with the outermost label in the magazine, a guide shaft secured to the indexing finger and extending therefrom, an elongated cam slot extending in a direction substantially parallel to the exposed face of the labels in the magazine cut in the housing to receive the guide shaft, a cam portion offset in the direction of the magazine spaced from the top of the cam slot, a label moistening wheel within the housing below the magazine, means coupled to the gear rack to rotate the said wheel, a sealing roller carried by the housing beneath the moistening wheel, elongated grooves spaced from the bottom of the housing and parallel therewith to receive the ends of the sealing roller, coupling means between the moistening wheel rotating means and the sealing roller to transport the roller from one end of the elongated grooves to the other, and means, responsive to the vertical reiprocation of the plunger and the travel of the guide shaft in the cam slot, to release a single label from the magazine, feed it through the moistening wheel, and affix it to a surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 418,078 Singleton Dec. 24, 1889 486,430 Campbell Nov. 22, 1892 587,621 Tonsey et al. Aug. 3, 1897 743,263 Fargue et al. Nov. 3, 1903 857,499 Thompson June 18, 1907 931,639 Orr Aug. 15, 1909 

